


War Without End

by Azar



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: F/M, World War II, time traveller angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-24 00:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/628338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azar/pseuds/Azar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charley discovers what the future holds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	War Without End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [merryghoul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryghoul/gifts).



> Title taken from the Babylon 5 episode.

The TARDIS was a big place and its habit of shifting rooms about made it somewhat tricky to navigate, so this was hardly the first time he'd misplaced a companion whilst in flight.

What troubled the Doctor was that this was Charley. Charley, who had no hesitation in voicing her opinion--and loudly--when she found herself in a situation that was not to her liking. If she'd got lost, surely he ought to have heard about it by now. That he hadn't heard a peep out of her in, well, time was fluid in the Vortex so he couldn't be sure, but what seemed to be hours, was troubling.

After searching her room, the kitchen and the pool where she liked to bathe without success, the Doctor reasoned that Charley'd always liked to read, so he made for the library. 

Much to his relief, he found her there almost at once, her head bowed so low over a book in her lap that it looked as though she'd fallen asleep. Perhaps she had—that would certainly explain the silence. As he drew closer, though, he saw that far from being closed, there were tears in her eyes.

“Charley?”

Charley looked up at his approach, closing the book. The Doctor tried to discreetly peek at the cover, hoping it was some gothic romance or other; surely she wouldn't shed tears over, say, Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, her palm laid flat against the cover obscured most of the title.

Taking a seat on the divan beside her, the Doctor put an arm hesitantly around Charley's shoulders. “Charley, what's wrong?”

Charley looked at him reproachfully, her face still red from crying. “Why didn't you tell me?” she demanded softly. “That there was going to be another War?”

Ah. He tried his best to shield his companions from the worst of what was in their future, but they wouldn't be with him if they weren't curious. So, as often as not, they found out anyway on their own. Wars, natural disasters, tragedies great and small took on a far more personal cast when it was something that was yet to happen, and going to happen to the people and the places one cared for.

“I was only six when the Great War ended,” she added softly. “But my mother's brother died in France, and my father would never speak of it, so I know it must have been awful. They called it the War to End All Wars: how could there be another one so soon? Didn't the world learn anything?”

The Doctor didn't answer, only pulled her into an embrace and let her sob into his shoulder.


End file.
